PLEDDG sponsored the Ukrainian Women’s Congress held in Kyiv on November 22-23, 2017. The objective of the Congress was to establish a public platform that would shape the gender policy agenda.
PLEDDG Project actively supports the idea of implementation of gender equality policies in Ukraine as an integral element of democratic development. Therefore, PLEDDG sponsored the Ukrainian Women’s Congress held in Kyiv on November 22-23, 2017. The objective of the Congress was to establish a public platform that would shape the gender policy agenda for the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the Cabinet of Ministers, media community, private and public sectors, and ensure public authorities’ compliance with a comprehensive gender-related approach to state policy.
The Ukrainian Women’s Congress was initiated by the Equal Opportunities Caucus with the aim to launch a public dialogue on promoting gender equality in all spheres of social and political life in Ukraine. The event brought together about 500 men and women from various regions of Ukraine, representatives of central administration, local self-governance, Ukrainian and foreign gender equality experts, and the most active women and men in politics, business, non-governmental organizations, and media.
PLEDDG Project was represented by Beth Woroniuk, PLEDDG Project Gender Expert and Consultant, Canada, and Debra Button, a former mayor of Weyburn (Saskatchewan, Canada) and the first woman-president of Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association. Nadiya Gladkevych, co-founder of “Prostir” Interactive Platform” Non-political Public Association (Rivne) – one of the winners of PLEDDG’s call for short-term gender initiatives, also took part in the Congress at the Invitation of PLEDDG.
Debra Button shared her experience of participation in local politics. She told the participants about what, in her opinion, makes women successful leaders, and why men’s support is crucial for gender equality. She explained whys and hows of supporting women to become policy-makers, and elaborated on the current representation of women positions across all levels of power in Canada. “Generally speaking, women enter politic leadership not out of a desire to have power, but because of their will to help communities by training, facilitating, and helping all people around them”, – Ms. Button summed up.
In her presentation, Beth Beth Woroniuk discussed gender inequality in Canadian economy and gender equality issues related thereto. In particular, the Canadian expert told the attendees about gender analysis of the Canadian federal budget, latest debates on the quotas for women in leadership of private companies and the gap between men’s and women’s salaries.
For 2 days of the Congress, participants discussed the latest gender policy research and trends in development of gender policy both in Ukraine and worldwide. As a follow-up of the expert discussions within the framework of the Congress, a Decision on enforcement of gender equality in Ukraine was adopted.
For more information, visit the website of Ukrainian Women’s Congress.